• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

Basketball-crazy Jake Burnett is thrilled to be leaving home to attend prestigious Centerville Prep. It’s an opportunity to pursue his hoop dreams at the highest level. But things aren’t quite as advertised at his new school, and Jake soon finds himself struggling both on and off the court. At first, Jake is determined to play harder and ignore the warning signs. Until he discovers that his new head coach is a scam artist, putting kids at risk for his own gain. Now Jake has a difficult choice to make—advance his basketball career or do the right thing.

Jeff Rud's profile page

• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

“[A] fast-paced, high-stakes, high/low book with plenty of appeal for reluctant readers and sports fans alike...Rud’s experience as a sports journalist and a high-school basketball coach lends authenticity to the action-packed court scenes, and in a readable and accessible way, he takes on complex issues like integrity, breach of contract, and speaking out against corruption.”

Booklist

"An excellent novel that depicts teens in crisis...A fast-paced story with a touch of a moral...Recommended."

CM Magazine

"Brilliant...Once again, Orca Sports and Jeff Rud have scored big."

Resource Links

"Rud inserts vivid descriptions of basketball plays...older, reluctant readers, particularly sports-loving students, will pick up this book for a quick but satisfying read...recommended."

School Library Connection